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Overlanders Unlimited This is a forum to discuss expedition vehicles and trailer options, a place to talk about builds, modifications, and designs, as well as past and future adventure trips.

 
 
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Old 11-30-2008, 04:19 AM
BlueGerbil BlueGerbil is offline
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Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Germany
Posts: 89
November 25-28, 2008: Novosibirsk

Busy in Siberia?s capital

Right from the start we scheduled a stop in Novosibirsk for several days. The reason for that: Here, our vehicles and trailers were supposed to be modified for the cold. Spikes have been attached to all tires ? on vehicles and trailers as well as the backup tires. Additionally the engines and transmissions will receive a felt insulation as protection against the cold. Basis for this planning was the assumption that we would have to deal with Siberian temperatures by Novosibirsk at the latest. But still the thermometers show temperatures around zero degree. The Chrysler-center in Novosibirsk is the last possibility for the necessary changes before we reach the Altai Mountains where there will definitely be snow. Therefore and despite the extraordinarily high outside temperatures, we are in the middle of the vehicle remodelling. Several Russians told us that nature uses this long period of mild temperatures to prepare itself for an extremely cold winter.

After expecting difficulties in the garage ? once again the gateway was too low for our roof construction ? now everything works according to plan and to our utmost satisfaction. The garage was rearranged especially for our two vehicles and the entire mechanical team was waiting for us. In a special garage, several men were spiking our tires. The first set is already fitted with spikes and returned to the Chrysler dealer in order to be assembled to the vehicles. Evgeny ? who has some vehicles himself ? has a lot of experiences when it comes to the protection of engines against the cold. Now he is supporting the mechanical team with the insulation. Matthias was able to take the first vehicle and trailer to the car wash. Finally we will (even by colour) be recognized as expedition team again and stand out among the other car traffic. Despite the cooperativeness and the focussed work, Matthias is afraid that we will have a long night ahead of us in order to get the vehicles completely done.

Besides the necessary modifications against the cold there were other reasons for the long stop in Novosibirsk. Two important aspects were the presentation of our project at the Technical University as well as the personal contact to the German Consulate General. First we were invited to the consulate. There, we met all the people who are responsible for the support of our project. Since that time we are extremely happy to know that this great team of the consulate will back us up all the way to the Bering Strait.

Nobody knew that the press conference at the Technical University the very next day would top the positive impression of the work in the garage and the consulate general! The entire event was characterized by a highly professional, intensive and successful cooperation between the consulate, the university and DAAD. In regards to location, technology and the announcement of the press conference we can assure that they made a good job of it ? everything was prepared at best. Therefore the project presentation turned out to be a huge success. After we were welcomed by the principal who also informed us about the university, we had a short conversation concerning the topic ?renewable energies?. When entering the ballroom, we were overwhelmed by the big audience and attending TV-teams. The room was packed. Further listeners were standing in the hallways and in front of the rearward wall. Matthias made a very short presentation of the project and relied on the interest and the questions by the audience. An animated conversation about the cars, the expedition and renewable energies ? Russia?s future market ? developed between the vice principal, the consul general and Matthias on the podium and the journalists and students in the audience. For the first time there was another item on the agenda: An invitation for tea and pastries which we gladly accepted. After the two meetings with the consulate and the university, Matthias said that we could have taken another Jeep with all the interested and cooperative employees from both facilities with us on the road.

Our next goal ? the Russian-Mongolian border ? is about 900 kilometers away. Whenever possible, Matthias is already sitting in the Chrysler-showroom to prepare our border crossing via telephone with the help of an interpreter.





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